Pottstown woman admits setting fire to her home, given jail term

NORRISTOWN — A Pottstown woman has admitted to endangering her neighbors, firefighters and police when she set a fire at her home after arguing with her domestic partner about parenting techniques.

Cora Lee Sharp, 48, of the 900 block of Spruce Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court on Tuesday to 60 days to 23 months in the county jail, to be followed by five years’ probation, after she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering other persons, failure to prevent a catastrophe, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct in connection with the August 2012 incident at her home.

President Judge William J. Furber Jr., who accepted a plea agreement in the case, also ordered Sharp to attend and complete anger management counseling and parenting classes and to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and an arson risk assessment as conditions of the sentence.

Sharp, who was represented by defense lawyer Edward Skypala, will receive credit for two months that she previously served in jail on the charges between September and November 2012. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Dean.

Other charges of arson, reckless burning and causing a catastrophe were dismissed against Sharp as part of the plea agreement.

The Pottstown Fire Department was dispatched to Sharp’s residence about 9:08 p.m. Aug. 26, 2012, for a report of a kitchen fire at the home, according to a criminal complaint filed by Pottstown Detective Thomas Leahan.

No one was injured during the blaze, which was extinguished in about 22 minutes. The property was left uninhabitable due to smoke and heat damage that totaled between $60,000 and $70,000, fire officials said at the time.

The investigation revealed that Pottstown police originally were dispatched to the home around 8:30 p.m., before the fire broke out, for a reported domestic dispute between Sharp and her partner, who share custody of two adopted children, according to the arrest affidavit.

An argument between Sharp and her partner allegedly stemmed from “opposing views on parenting,” according to the criminal complaint. Earlier, Sharp’s partner had taken the children to her mother’s home and after Sharp’s partner returned to the Spruce Street residence, an argument transpired and police were called, court documents said.

Police remained on scene until Sharp was the only person who remained at the house.

Later, after the fire was reported, one of the police officers who earlier handled the domestic call involving Sharp saw her walking south on Spruce Street.

Sharp allegedly said, “I did it” when asked how the fire at her house started.

“Sharp further provided that she used a lighter and the source of ignition was in the kitchen,” Leahan wrote in the criminal complaint.

After Sharp was taken into custody, police administered a breath test, which reportedly revealed an elevated blood-alcohol content.

The following morning, Sharp provided a voluntary statement “admitting that she intentionally set the fire to her home,” police said.

With the reckless endangerment charge prosecutors alleged Sharp recklessly engaged in conduct that placed or may have placed her neighbors, fire personnel, police and pedestrians in danger of death or serious bodily injury.